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r ALMUDlC SAYINGS 





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Book 

Copyright N°. 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT: 






TALMUDIC 
SAYINGS 



SELECTED AND ARRANGED 
UNDER APPROPRIATE HEADINGS 



BY 

RABBI HENRY COHEN 



SECOND EDITION 



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NEW YORK 

BLOCH PUBLISHING COMPANY 

1910 



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9 



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COPYRIGHT, 1894, 1910, BY 

Henry Cohen 



)CLA2734G4 



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-V 






This little work is respectfully dedicated 

to the 

HONORABLE M. LASKER, 

of Galveston, Texas, 

on the seventieth anniversary of his birth, 

February Nineteenth, 

Nineteen Hundred and Ten 



"He who makes himself beloved of his fellow- 
creatures, makes himself acceptable to God." 

Pirke Aboth, 3: 13. 



PREFACE 



Believing that little is known of the Tal- 
mud (313 B. C-498 C. E.) by English-speak- 
ing people, I have ventured to compile these 
few hundred quotations. To many thousands 
of Jews and Christians the Talmud is but a 
name, and, in these busy times when one who 
is not a Rabbinic student can hardly hope to 
drink deeply at the fountain of Talmudic lore, 
a collection of maxims, proverbs and sayings 
from the Talmud — characteristic of that 
whole stupendous work — is not out of place. 
A glance through these pages will at once 
show the purity of Jewish moral teachings 
and bring home to the uninitiated some of 
the beauties of Jewish ethics. 

The work consists wholly of Talmudic 
sayings, as the title states; no specific com- 
mands of the Pentateuch, or proverbs of the 
Hagiographa find a place therein. The trans- 
lations are as literal as is consonant with 
the proper use of the English language — a 
free rendition being given when the literal 
translation of the quotation would sound 



VI PREFACE 

strange, or be entirely incomprehensible to 
those unacquainted with the manners, customs, 
and environment of the editors of the Talmud. 
As will be seen the subjects are alphabetically 
arranged. The "headings" are as compre- 
hensive as the general run of quotation-book 
titles usually are. In two instances, and for 
reasons which are obvious, the same maxim 
has been placed under two captions. It needs 
but a short acquaintance with the book to 
enable the reader to locate exactly an appro- 
priate saying for any subject that he may wish 
to illustrate. 

For special English renditions, I have con- 
sulted the following works, the authors and 
publishers of which I wish to thank: "Tracts 
of the Association for the Diffusion of Re- 
ligious Knowledge," "The Threefold Cord" 
(Rev. B. Spiers), "Literary Remains of 
Emanuel Deutsch," and "Der Wahre Tal- 
mudjude" (Albert Katz). 

Henry Cohen. 
Galveston, Texas, 

October, 1894. 

February, 19 10. 



CONTENTS 



Adversity 










Agriculture 










.. 2 


Anger 










3 


Appearances 










4 


Benevolence 










5 


Charity . 










6 


Cleanliness 










7 


Commerce 










8 


Companionship 










9 


Conduct . 


. 








ii 


Contentment 










12 


Cruelty 










13 


Damage . 










14 


Death 










14 


Deceit 










15 


Discord 


. 








16 


Enmity 










17 


Example . 










17 


Fellow-Creature 








18 


Filial Affection 








20 


Flattery . 








20 


Friendship 








21 


Future Life — Immortalit) 


r 






22 


God — Holy Law 








23 


Guilt 








25 


Haughtiness — See Pride 








5i 


Home 








25 


Honesty . 










26 


Honor 










26 


Hospitality 










27 


Humility . 










28 


Hypocrisy . 










28 


Idleness 










29 


Ignorance — See Knowledge 






35 


Immortality — See Future Life 






22 


Ingratitude 






29 


Insolence 








30 


Instruction 








30 


Justice 








34 


Knowledge — Ignorance 








35 


Life . 










38 



Vll 



vlii 



CONTENTS 



Loans 
Love 

Marriage . 
Mercy- 
Moderation 
Modesty . 
Neighbor — See Fellow-Creature 
Oaths — Vows . 
Old Age— Youth 
Parental Duties 
Passion . 
Patriotism 
Peace 

Penury — See Poverty 
Poverty — Penury 
Prayer 

Pride — Haughtiness 
Public Opinion 
Recompense — Revenge 
Religion . 
Repentance 
Reproof . 
Resignation 

Revenge — See Recompens 
Riches 

Righteousness . 
Robbery . 
Secrecy . 
Silence — See Speech 
Sin .... 
Slander — See Speech 
Slaveholding . 
Speech — Slander 
Temptation 
Testimony 
Tolerance 
Truth 
Usefulness 
Usury 

Vows — See Oaths . 
Wisdom 
Work 
Workman . 
Youth— See Old Age 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 



ADVERSITY 



Adversity is the true school of the mind. 

A man should be opposed to taking alms, as 
well as to being a burden on the com- 
munity. 

To him who is dependent upon his neighbor's 
table, the world looks dark. 

It is better to become a menial than to live 
upon the charity of others. 

He who pretends to be halt or blind, in order 
to appeal to popular sympathy, will be 
afflicted with these infirmities sooner or 
later. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

AGRICULTURE 



He who possesses no land is no man. 



What enjoyment has he who continually 
craves money, but possesses no land? 



Cultivate thy field, and do not buy thy com- 
modities at the market, even if thou be- 
lievest it to be cheaper to do so. 



It is not right to sell thy field to buy cattle or 
tools unless poverty compel thee. 



If thou rentest ground from thy neighbor, 
cultivate it as if it were thine own. 



He who walks over his estate daily, finds a 
coin daily. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

ANGER 



Be not provoked to anger, and thou wilt not 
sin. 

He who gives way to anger in order to re- 
venge himself upon anyone, destroys his 
own house. 

He whom it is difficult to provoke to anger 
but easy to pacify, is pious; but he who 
is easily provoked and with difficulty 
pacified, is wicked. 

He who curbs his wrath merits forgiveness 
for his sins. 

The sins of the bad-tempered are greater than 
his merits. 

Anger showeth the character of the man. 
When the wise is angry he is wise no longer. 
Anger profiteth nobody. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

APPEARANCES 



Look not at the flask, but at its contents. 
Few are they who see their own faults. 

Judge not thy neighbor until thou hast been 
placed in his position. 

The rose groweth among thorns. 

Man sees the mote in his neighbor's eye, but 
knows not of the beam in his own. 

One man eats and another says grace. 

The soldiers fight, and the kings are heroes. 

-♦- 
Two pieces of coin in one bag make more 
noise than a hundred. 

Unhappy is he who mistakes the branch for 
the tree, the shadow for the substance. 

Judge everybody favorably. 

Judge a man by his deeds, and not by his 
words. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

BENEVOLENCE 



If thou hast commenced a good action, leave 
it not incomplete. 

He who induces his neighbor to perform a 
good action shares the merit. 

He who performs a single good action gains 
for himself an advocate; he who com- 
mits a single sin raises up for himself an 
accuser. 

Good deeds are better than good creeds. ^^J) 

Cling steadfastly to that which is good. 

He who closes his eyes to beneficence is as if 
he were an idolater. 

The good actions which we perform in this 
world take shape and meet us in the 
world to come. 

Hasten to perform the slightest good deed. 

Even he who lives upon charity should prac- 
tice benevolence. 



6 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

The true benefactor searches out the poor. 

Be always ready to perform an act that will 
be pleasing in the sight of the Lord. 

The practice of beneficence will assure the 
maintenance of one's possessions. 

Like the tree, man is known by his fruit. 

Those who fulfill one precept in this world 
will find it recorded to their credit in 
the world to come. 



CHARITY 



Charity is the salt of riches. 

To lend is often better than to give, but to 
give employment is better than either. 

He gives little who gives much with a frown; 
he gives much who gives even little with 
a smile. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 7 

Since the destruction of the Temple, alms are 
the only sacrifices that we can offer at 
the altar of God. 

He who gives charity in secret is greater than 
Moses. 

The practice of charity is one of the three 
chief virtues of the Israelite. 

Kindness is the highest form of charity. 

To him who lacks nobility of heart, nobility 
of blood is of no avail. 



CLEANLINESS 



Cold water, morning and evening, is better 
than all cosmetics. 

N ' Cleanliness is next to godliness. 

Keep the body clean; let thy garments be 
changed daily, for clean garments honor 
the wearer. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

COMMERCE 



An Israelite is prohibited from deceiving even 
an idolater. 

Those who monopolize food to increase its 
price, those who lend money usuriously, 
or who employ false weights and meas- 
ures, wound the honor of Jacob and will 
bring upon themselves the punishment 
of God. 

If thy goods sell not in one city, take them 
to another. 

He who avoids lawsuits frees himself from 
hatred, robbery and false swearing. 

Attend no auctions if thou hast no money. 

Make but one sale, and thou art called a 
merchant. 

Money belonging to orphans should only be 
invested when the chance of gain is 
greater than the chance of loss. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 9 

Always be honest in thy trading; if thy goods 
are damaged, acknowledge it. 

The smallest payment in hand binds the trade. 

Credit and mutual trust should be the foun- 
dation of commercial intercourse. 

Do not buy stolen goods. 



COMPANIONSHIP 



A myrtle remains fragrant though it grows 
among thorns. 

Associate not with the wicked man, even if 
thou canst learn from him. 

A man without a proper companion is like the 
left hand without the right. 

If thou touch pitch it will stick to thy fingers; 
so, if thou associate with evil com- 
panions, thou wilt acquire their vices. 



IO TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

Keep at a distance from a bad neighbor, and 
associate not with a wicked man. 

If I am not for myself, who is for me ? And 
if I am for myself only, what am I ? 

He who mixes with the unclean, becomes un- 
clean himself; he whose associations are 
pure, becomes more holy each day. 

In communicating thy sorrows to others al- 
ways say, "May the Lord protect thee 
from like troubles." 

Be not mournful amongst the joyous, neither 
rejoice amongst the mournful. 



He who participates in the sorrows of a com- 
munity shall likewise receive the solace 
of the community. 

Those that make the sorrowful rejoice will 
partake of life everlasting. 

Associate with kind-hearted people, and thou 
wilt become kind-hearted thyself. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS II 

CONDUCT 



A man may be known by three things ; by his 
conduct in business, at table, and when 
angry. 

The path of duty leads to salvation. 

Keep to the right path ; go not to extremes. 

Improve thyself, then endeavor to improve 
others. 

He who strives to improve will be assisted 
from above. 

The end does not justify the means. 

Night was created that therein we might 
ponder over the work of the past day. 

Contemplate three things, and thou wilt not 
easily be led to sin. Consider whence 
thou comest, whither thou goest, and be- 
fore whom thou must ultimately render 
an account of thine actions. 



12 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

Be respectful to a superior, affable to an in- 
ferior, and receive all men with cheerful- 
ness. 



How may a man obtain greatness? By fidel- 
ity, truth, and inspiring thoughts. 

Every union for a divine purpose is destined 
to last. 



CONTENTMENT 



Who is rich ? He who is satisfied with his lot. 

Do not use unlawful means to become rich. 

Blessed is the man who trusts in God. 

He who trusts in the Lord will never act dis- 
honorably. 

Be contented. The camel wished to have 
horns but ultimately lost his ears. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 1 3 

CRUELTY 



Be not tyrannical and cruel toward thy in- 
feriors. 



Do not put a greater burden upon thy beast 
than it can bear. 



To have compassion upon animals is one of 
the laws of Moses. 



He who has no mercy upon animals shall 
himself suffer pain. 



A man should not buy cattle or poultry with- 
out first having bought food for them. 



Rather be the persecuted than the persecutor; 
rather be the sufferer than the one who 
inflicts suffering. 



14 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

DAMAGE 



Remove from the highway anything that 
might cause damage to another's prop- 
erty. 

Sell nothing that could inflict damage. 

Do not damage a public road. 

Use not another's money for thine own pur- 
pose. 

Thy neighbor's possessions should be as dear 
to thee as thine own. 

Man is always responsible for the injuries 
caused by him, whether inadvertently or 
wilfully. 



DEATH 



Death is the haven of life, and old age is the 
ship which enters the port. 

No man dies before his time. 

Trust not thyself until the day of thy death. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 1 5 

Death relieves man of all pain and sorrow. 

Do not speak ill of the departed, but remem- 
ber that his soul still lives, tho' his body 
is dead. 

It is our duty to comply with the last wishes 
of a dying person. 

Do not attempt to dispute a man's last will 
and testament. 

He who follows others to the grave, performs 
a duty. 

In order to be able to distinguish one grave 
from another, erect a tombstone. 



DECEIT 



He who deceives his neighbor would also de- 
ceive his God. 

He who talks deceitfully is despised by the 
Lord. 



1 6 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

Under no consideration lead men astray. 

The thief's end is the gallows. 

There is no greater villain than he who takes 
away the earnings of the poor. 

A lie has not a leg to stand upon. 

When a liar speaks the truth, he finds his 
punishment in being generally disbe- 
lieved. 



DISCORD 



Keep far from contentious men, for they are 
dangerous. 

Discord creates incalculable harm. 

The house in which discord reigns will never 
be firmly established. 

One loose cord loosens many. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 1 7 

ENMITY 



One enemy is one too many, a thousand 
friends are none too many. 

It is easy to make an enemy, it is difficult to 

make a friend, 

-♦- 

When the ox is down, many are the butchers. 



EXAMPLE 

Beautiful are the admonitions of those whose 
lives accord with their teachings. 

Precept without example is no precept. 

Blessed is the generation in which the old 
listen to the young ; and doubly blessed is 
the generation in which the young listen 
to the old. 

The daughter is as the mother was. 



1 8 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

What the child says on the street, he has 
learned at home. 

A single light answers as well for a hundred 
men as for one. 

Let every man watch his own doings, that he 
may be an example to his fellow-man 
through life. 



FELLOW-CREATURE 



What is displeasing unto thee, do not unto 
another. 

Guard with jealous care thy neighbor's honor. 

Let the honor of thy neighbor be as dear unto 
thee as thine own. 

Whosoever scorns his neighbor in public, com- 
promises his future happiness. 
-♦- 

Attempt not to comfort thy neighbor when 
the dead is lying before him. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 1 9 

Mention not a blemish which is thine own in 
detraction of thy neighbor. 

Do not continually praise thy neighbor; from 
praise thou mayest turn to blame. 

Rejoice not in the faults of thy neighbor. 

Go not into thy neighbor's house unan- 
nounced, lest he be embarrassed. 

When thy neighbor departs, say, "Depart in 
peace." 

If thy neighbor is sick, pray for him. 

Do not visit a poor sick man with empty 
hands. 

It is a bounden duty to visit the sick. 

Birds of a feather flock together ; and so with 
man, like to like. 

Do not separate thyself from society. 

He who makes himself beloved by his fellow- 
creatures, makes himself acceptable to 
God. 



20 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

FILIAL AFFECTION 



Great is the child's veneration for its parents; 
equal in the eye of the Lord as the ven- 
eration for Himself. 

The son should stand in the presence of his 
father. 

The son can be compelled to support the 
father and to supply him with life's 
necessities. 

Only when the father attempts to induce the 
son to commit sin, is disobedience justi- 
fiable. 



FLATTERY 



Keep far from the flatterer. 

The flatterer is an abomination to the Lord. 

Let not thy lips speak that which is not in 
thy heart. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 21 

Love those who reprove thee, not those who 
flatter thee. 



The dog follows thee for the crumbs in thy 
pocket. 



FRIENDSHIP 



Remind not thy friend of his erstwhile fail- 
ings. 

Do not take too many friends into thy house. 



Three friends hath a man : God, his mother, 
and his father. 



Ascend a step in choosing a friend. 



If thou findest a friend after thine own heart, 
love him honestly and truly. 



22 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

FUTURE LIFE (IMMORTALITY) 



This world is an ante-chamber to the next. 
Prepare thyself in the ante-chamber, that 
thou mayest worthily enter the throne- 
room. 



Better one hour's happiness in the next world, 
than a whole life of pleasure in this. 



This world is a world of work; the next, a 
world of recompense. 



He who divorces himself from the pleasures 
of this world, weds himself to the glories 
of the next. 



One man may earn immortality by the work 
of a few short years, while others earn 
it by the work of a long life. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 23 

GOD — HOLY LAW 



The consciousness of God's presence is the 
great teaching of religion. 

Know before whom thou standest. 

Happy is he, who fears God while yet in the 
prime of life. 

The fear of God is the talisman which brings 
us wisdom and knowledge. 

Fear of God is the center of morality. 

Everything is in the hand of God except the 
fear of God. 

Whoever desecrates God's name in secret 
will be punished publicly. 

Tradition is a fence to the law. 

The God of Israel is the first and the last, and 
besides Him there is no other. 



24 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

There are three who are especially beloved by 
God: he who is forbearing, he who is 
temperate, and he who is courteous. 



We can not comprehend either the prosperity 
of the wicked or the sufferings of the 
righteous. 



From beginning to end God's law teaches 
kindness. 



Man should thank God for the evil as well as 
for the good. 

Whatever God does is done for our good. 



Even when death is imminent, man should 
not refrain from imploring the mercy 
of Heaven. 

The Sabbath is given to man, not man to the 
Sabbath. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 25 

GUILT 



If any blame can be attached to thee, be the 
first to declare it. 

He who denies his guilt doubles his guilt. 

The liar is worse than the thief. 

He who blames others is often full of blame 
himself; for the fault he sees in others 
may be seen in himself. 

No man should be punished for speaking 
harshly in his distress. 

He through whose agency another has been 
falsely punished, stands outside of 
heaven's gates. 



HOME 



Woe to the children banished from their 

father's table. 

-♦- 
Do not place a blemish on thine own flesh. 

The humblest man is ruler in his own house. 



26 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

HONESTY 



Honest for a penny (Peruta), honest for a 
pound (Dinar). 

The first question that will be asked by the 
Heavenly Judge is, "Hast thou always 
acted honestly?" 

He who is honest in his dealings will have the 
respect of all people. 



HONOR 



No position can honor the man. It is the 
man who may honor the position. 

Who deserveth honor? He who honoreth 
others. 

He who honoreth the law is personally hon- 
ored by mankind; but he who holdeth 
the law in light esteem shall be held in 
light esteem by his fellow-man. 

Who is worthy of respect? He who re- 
specteth himself. 






TALMUDIC SAYINGS 27 

HOSPITALITY 



Let thy house be ever hospitably open, and let 
the poor be received therein. 

The house which opens not to the poor will 
open to the physician. 

Hospitality is an expression of divine wor- 
ship. 

Receive everybody in kindness, and thou wilt 
be honored and respected. 

Thy dwelling should be a place of gathering 
for wise people. 

The table at which strangers eat becomes an 
altar. 

If thou intend to entertain twenty persons, 
always prepare for twenty-five. 

During eating hours, open thy doors, that the 
needy may enter and partake. 



28 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

HUMILITY 



Be always humble, for the end of the body is 

corruption. 

-♦- 

Rather be thou the tail among lions than the 
head among foxes. 

The bashful man seldom becomes learned. 

He who seeks fame oft loses it. 

He who can feel ashamed will not readily do 
wrong. 



HYPOCRISY 



Hypocrites should be unmasked, lest God's 
name be desecrated through them. 

Put not thy trust in still waters. 

If the thief no longer has an opportunity to 
steal he pretends to be honest. 
-♦- 

Fear neither the Pharisees nor the Sad- 
ducees ; fear only the hypocrites. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 29 

IDLENESS 



He who passes his life in idleness is the in- 
strument of his own ruin. 

When the woman slumbers, the work-basket 
falls to the ground. 

Sleep in the morning, wine at noon, trifling 
with children, and spending time with 
the ignorant, shorten a man's existence. 



INGRATITUDE 



Throw not stones into the well from which 
thou hast quenched thy thirst. 

He who eats and drinks, but blesses not the 
Lord, is even as he w r ho stealeth. 

Wait not to honor the physician until thou 
fallest sick. 

Despise not small favors. 



30 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

INSOLENCE 



If a man be insolent, it is a sign that he has 
been guilty of transgression. 

He who is insolent to his teacher is as if he 
were insolent to the King. 

Arrogance is a kingdom without a crown. 

Turn a deaf ear to insult, and thou wilt not 
hear it. 

Do not be insolent. 



INSTRUCTION 



The fear of thy instructor should be even as 
the fear of Heaven. 

A town which has no school should be de- 
molished. 

Let the honor of thy pupil be as dear to thee 
as thine own. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 31 

The study of the law, that does not go hand 
in hand with industry, is doomed to 
failure. 

He who instructs a child is as great a bene- 
factor as the parent; honor thy teacher 
as thy parent. 

Procure thyself a teacher, that thou remainest 
not in doubt. 

Happy the pupil whose teacher approves his 
words. 

Blessed is the son who has studied with his 
father, and blessed is the father who has 
instructed his son. 

Who is best taught? He who learns from 
his mother. 

The hasty man can not teach. 

He who studies and teaches others possesses 
treasures and riches. 

The world exists only by the breath of school 
children. 



32 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

It is a duty to begin to teach the child as 
soon as it can talk. 



Study is one of the three pillars that support 
the world. 

The name of the man whose child has de- 
voted himself to science will never die. 



A teacher should be relieved of all taxes, ex- 
cept that for digging and building a pub- 
lic well. 

It is the duty of the scholar to interest him- 
self in the welfare of the place in which 
he lives. 

It is right that the wise man should concern 
himself with the health and life of his 
fellow-creatures. 



The scholar should correct the wayward, as 
well as expound holy writ on Sabbaths 
and holy days. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 33 

The learned man should judge himself ac- 
cording to his own teachings, and not do 
anything that he has forbidden others 
to do. 

The Lord is not with him who possesses great 
knowledge but has no sense of duty. 

-♦- 

He who is rich should support the learned. 

The teacher should explain the subject under 
discussion, and to this end should em- 
ploy a short and efficient method. 

The teacher should rule his pupil lovingly and 
kindly. 

Teach the children of the poor without com- 
pensation, and do not favor the children 
of the rich. 

The pupil should always remember that, 
through the efforts of the teacher, the 
world is laid open before him. 

Do not bring ridicule upon thy teacher by 
asking him questions that thou thinkest 
he can not answer. 






34 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

JUSTICE 



God loveth justice and charity more than all 
sacrifices. 

The recompense is proportionate to the sac- 
rifice. 

- - ^« 
v Justice is the guarantee of national stability 
and peace. 

Let justice pierce through the mountain. 



Choose for the criminal under sentence of 
death the least painful and the least de- 
grading mode of execution. 



Woe unto the generation whose judges must 
be judged. 

The judge should despise all emolument. 



Two judges hating each other can not sit on 
the same bench. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 35 

The judge should not take a bribe, nor should 
he allow himself to be flattered. 



The judge who turns the law in favor of one 
or the other arbitrarily, shall be de- 
spised. 

Justice is one of the three pillars on which the 
moral world rests. 



KNOWLEDGE — IGNORANCE 



If thou hast acquired knowledge, what canst 
thou lack? If thou lackest knowledge, 
what canst thou acquire? 

He who acquires knowledge, without impart- 
ing it to others, is like a myrtle in the 
desert — no one is there to enjoy it. 

The aim and object of learning is moral per- 
fection. 

Knowledge without religion blesses not its 
possessor. 



36 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

If anyone tell thee he has searched for knowl- 
edge and not attained it, believe him 
not; if he tell thee he has attained knowl- 
edge without searching for it, believe 
him not; but if he tell thee he has 
searched for knowledge and attained it, 
thou mayest believe him. 

Learn first and philosophize afterwards. 

Learn a little here and a little there, and thou 
wilt grow in knowledge. 

If thou interrupt thy studies for one day, it 
will take thee two to regain what thou 
hast lost. 

It is the duty of the student to greet all wise 
men of his city. 

Refuse not to assist a fellow-student. 
None are so destitute as the ignorant. 
Ignorance and conceit go hand in hand. 
A coin in an empty vessel rattles loudly. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 37 

Without knowledge there is no true morality 
and piety. 



The rivalry of scholars advances science. 
Study to-day— delay not. 



He who does not educate his children is his 
own and his children's enemy. 



Distress and poverty should not prevent one's 
obtaining an education. 



Study in thy youth; study in thine old age. 



He that increases not his knowledge dimin- 
ishes it. 

It is necessary to have a knowledge of the 
world, besides a knowledge of the Holy 
Law. 



38 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

LIFE 



If I do not work for my own salvation, who 
will for me? 



The longest life is insufficient for the fulfill- 
ment of half of man's desires. 



Life leads to the tomb, death to resurrection. 

Life is but a loan to man; death is the creditor 
who will one day claim it. 

Eat when hungry, drink when thirsty, and 
enjoy life. 

It is a bad sign if a man despise his life; God 
will hold him accountable. 

A man should not wound, mutilate, or casti- 
gate himself in order to be considered a 
martyr. 

Self-preservation is a bounden duty. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 39 

If thou hast the means, enjoy life's innocent 
pleasures. 

The best preacher is the heart, the best teacher 
is time, the best book is the world, the 
best friend is God. 

The universe is based upon three things : con- 
science, justice, and peace. 

Youth is a wreath of roses. 



LOANS 



Lend to the poor in the time of their need. 

Never take the clothes of wife or children in 
payment of a debt. 

If thou hast taken of a man his plow or his 
pillow for debt, return his plow in the 
morning and his pillow at night. 

The possessions of a widow, whether she be 
rich or poor, should not be taken in 
pawn. 



40 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

LOVE 



When love is intense, both find room enough 
on one bench; afterwards they may find 
themselves cramped in sixty cubits. 

Love without rebuke is no love. 



Love inspired by unworthy motives dies out 
when those motives disappear, but love 
without such motives endures forever. 



MARRIAGE 

It is man's duty to take unto himself a wife. 

Choose a wife of thine own station and age, 
and thus avoid discord and strife. 

Be careful in the choice of a wife, and ex- 
amine thy heart well ere thou marry. 

Whoever marries a virtuous woman, is blessed 
by the Lord. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 4 1 

He who breaks his marriage vow, must expect 
his wife to do the same, sooner or later. 



The wife should not upbraid the husband in 
the presence of their children. 



The wife must help the husband by doing 
housework. 

The wife should never indulge in idleness. 

It is the duty of the wife to nurse the child 
herself. 

Honor thy wife and thou wilt prosper. 



He who loves his wife as himself and respects 
her above all others, will have peace in 
his household. 

If thy wife be short, stoop down to her and 
speak. 

He who has no wife is not a complete man. 



42 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

He who is unmarried lives without happiness, 
without religion, without blessing. 



All the blessings of a household come through 
the wife, therefore should the husband 
honor her. 

Men should be careful lest they cause women 
to weep, for God counts their tears. 

A woman's death is felt by nobody as by her 
husband. 

The children of a man who marries for 
money will prove a curse to him. 

It is a man's duty to honor his wife's parents 
as his own. 

Love thy wife truly and faithfully and do not 
compel her to do hard work. 

Man is born to work, hence it is his bounden 
duty to support his wife and family and 
not depend upon others. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 43 

MERCY 



To deserve mercy, practice mercy. 

The mercy we to others show heaven will 
show to us. 

He who has compassion on his fellow-man is 
accounted of the offspring of Abraham. 

He who wishes to be forgiven must forgive 
others. 

Hatred is sinful, pardon is sweet. 



MODERATION 



Be moderate in all things. 

When Satan can not come himself, he sends 
wine as a messenger. 

The horse fed too freely with oats oft be- 
comes unruly. 



44 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

Drink not to excess, and thou wilt not be led 
into sin. 

Eat and drink to live. Live not to eat and 
drink ; for thus do the beasts. 

Do not waste thy money in luxuries. 

The sensible man drinks only when he is 
thirsty. 



MODESTY 



They who are modest will not easily sin. 

Who is modest? He whose conduct in the 
dark is the same as in the light. 

Be humble before all men. 

Modesty prevents discord. 

Be as flexible as a reed and not as hard as 
a cedar. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 45 

NEIGHBOR 

(See Fellow-Creature) 



OATHS — VOWS 



Good men promise little and do much ; wicked 
men promise much and perform nothing. 

Do not accustom thyself to use oaths, or thou 
wilt be led to perjury. 

Swear not, even to the truth, unless the court 
compel thee to do so. 

The world trembles at the sentence: "Thou 
shalt not take the name of the Lord thy 
God in vain." 

The sin of perjury is great. 

The punishment of perjury falls not only 
upon the sinner, but upon his family also. 

He who allows his neighbor to perjure him- 
self will lose his possessions. 

To act contrary to a given promise is a grave 
breach of trust. 



46 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

OLD AGE — YOUTH 



No one can be accounted venerable unless his 
old age has purchased wisdom. 

Happy is the old age that atones for the folly 
of youth! But happier still the youth 
for which old age needs not to blush ! 

He who asks advice of the bearded will sel- 
dom fail in what he undertakes. 

Some are old in their youth, others young in 
their old age. 



PARENTAL DUTIES 



Do not spoil the child by allowing it to have 
its own way. 

Treat young children carefully. Do not 
threaten them with punishment unless 
thou meanest to inflict it, 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 47 

Do not inflict corporal punishment on grown- 
up children. 

It is the duty of the father to support his sons 
and daughters until they are at least 
thirteen years old. 



To give one's daughter in marriage to an ig- 
noramus is like throwing her before 
lions. 



PASSION 



Passion is at first as slender as a spider's web, 
but in the end it becomes like a thick 
cable. 

Who is a hero? He who controlleth his 
passions. 

He that forges arrows may one day be killed 
by one of his own arrows. 

Envy lust and ambition take men from the 
world. 



48 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

PATRIOTISM 



Pray to heaven for the prosperity of the gov- 
ernment, for by indifference to its wel- 
fare we cause anarchy and disorder to 
reign. 

If there be no law, there can be no civilization. 

Follow the custom of the country in which 
thou dwellest. 

The law of the country is binding. 

He who revolts against the government com- 
mits as great a sin as if he revolted 
against God. 



PEACE 



Be a disciple of Aaron, loving peace, and 
pursuing peace. 

Be the first to hold out the hand of peace. 
Where there is no peace nothing flourishes. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 49 

Sow peace at home ; scatter its fruits abroad. 

Peace is the wisp of straw that binds the sheaf 
of blessings. 

The Bible was given to establish peace. 

He who maketh peace between strivers, will 
inherit eternal life. 

Where peace is, there, also, is happiness. 



POVERTY— PENURY 



Be mindful of the children of the poor, for 
learning comes from them. 

Healthy poverty is opulence, compared with 
ailing wealth. 

Poverty sits as gracefully upon some people 
as a red saddle upon a white horse. 

The Eternal is the advocate of the poor. 

The birds of the air despise a miser. 

A miser is as wicked as an idolater. 



50 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

PRAYER 









Prayer without devotion is like a body with- 
out breath. 

When the gates of prayer are closed, the gates 
of repentance are yet open. 

Better little prayer with devotion than much 
without devotion. 

The value of the words uttered with the lips 
is determined by the devotion of the 
heart. 

He who prays for others will be heard favor- 
ably when he prays for himself. 

Look not upon thy prayers as on a task; let 
thy supplication be sincere. 



It is the duty of every Israelite to pray for 
the idolater. 



It is more profitable to pray than to bring 
sacrifices. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 5 I 

Always pray with humility, and with a clear 
conscience. 

Cleanse thy heart before praying. 

Before praying, give alms to the poor. 

Prayer is one of the three things on which the 
world rests. 

Blessed are the women who send their chil- 
dren to the house of prayer. 



PRIDE — HAUGHTINESS 



The Messiah will not come until haughtiness 
shall have ceased among men. 

The proud man is distasteful even to his near- 
est relatives. 

Pride leads to the destruction of man. 

Haughtiness indicates poverty of mind. 

The proud man suffers torments, the modest 
experiences bliss. 



52 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

He who hardens his heart with pride softens 
his brain with the same. 



Pride is a sign of ignorance. 

The prayers of the proud are never heard. 

Despise nobody, and thou wilt not be despised. 



PUBLIC OPINION 



The voice of the people is as the voice of God. 
Despise not public opinion. 



Whosoever is loved by mankind is also loved 
by the Supreme Being, but whosoever is 
not loved by mankind is not loved by the 
Supreme Being. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 53 

Sacrifice thy will for others, that they may be 
disposed to sacrifice their will for thee. 



He who fears the opinion of the world more 
than his own conscience has but little 
self-respect. 



RECOMPENSE — REVENGE 



Be not as servants who work for wages, but 
fulfill all thy duties without an interested 
motive. 

Man receives measure for measure. 

The physician who prescribes gratuitously 
gives a worthless prescription. 

As the pains so the gains. 

He who gratifies revenge, destroys his own 
house. 

Misery and remorse are the children of re- 
venge. 



54 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

RELIGION 



He who devotes himself to the mere study 
of religion, without engaging in works 
of mercy and love, is like one who has no 
God. 

Religion is the light of the world. 



Religion makes the man. 



Without religion there can be no true moral- 
ity. 



REPENTANCE 



To him who repeatedly sins, looking forward 
to penitence to cover his transgression, 
repentance will avail nothing. 



Repentance and good deeds will ward off pun- 
ishment. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 55 

The tears of true repentance are not shed in 
vain. 

When a man has turned away from sin, re- 
proach him no more. 

Happy is he who repents betimes. 

Repent one day before thy death. 

As the ocean never freezes, so the gates of 
repentance never close. 

There is even some merit in a resolution to 
repent. 



REPROOF 



Love those who reprove thee, and despise 
those who flatter thee; for reproof may 
lead thee to eternal life, flattery to de- 
struction. 

Grass dreads the scythe. 

He who can not bear one word of reproof 
will have to bear many. 



56 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

The love that shrinks from reproving is no 

love. 

-♦- 

Correct not a man in company, for it will 
bring the blush of shame to his cheek. 

Every man is not competent to correct his 
neighbor. 



RESIGNATION 



Blessed is he who bears his trials — every one 
has his share. 

He who cheerfully submits to suffering brings 
salvation to the world. 

The world will be judged in righteousness 
and truth. 

He who rebels against God's decree will lose 
his soul's salvation. 

When misfortune befalls thee examine thy 
conduct and acknowledge that God's 
chastisement is just. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 57 

RICHES 



It is not the amount of trade that makes the 
man poor or rich, but honest working 
and dealing. 

The rich man does not know but that at some 
time poverty will come to his children or 
his grandchildren. 

The most worthy crown is a good reputation. 
To be patient is to have much wealth. 



RIGHTEOUSNESS 



The righteous need no monument ; their deeds 
are their monument. 

When the righteous die, they may be con- 
sidered living; for their example lives. 

The righteous are even greater in death than 
in life. 

The loss of a pious man is a loss to his whole 
generation. 



58 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

With the pious, God is strict even unto a 
hair's breadth. 



The righteous of all nations will enjoy eternal 
bliss. 

The pious do everything from love, and even 
find consolation in their own afflictions. 



ROBBERY 



There is no difference between the robbery of 
a Jew, or the robbery of a Gentile; if 
any, to rob a Gentile is a greater sin than 
to rob a Jew. 

The thief's end is the gallows. 

One should not buy of a woman suspected 
of selling without the knowledge of her 
husband. 

The sin of robbery can not be expiated by 
repentance nor by the Day of Atonement, 
unless restitution is made. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 59 

Buy nothing from a thief. 

It is wrong to receive a present from a thief. 

If one finds a marked article he should adver- 
tise it publicly, so that the owner may 
recover it. 



SECRECY 



Thy secret is thy slave. If thou let it loose 
thou becomest its slave. 

That which man conceals in his innermost 
chamber is plain and manifest to the eye 
of God. 

Pry not into things that are beyond thy ken. 

Thy friend has a friend, and thy friend's 
friend has a friend — be discreet. 

If thou tellest thy secret to three persons, ten 
know it. 

When the wine is in, the secret is out. 



60 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

SILENCE — See Speech 



If silence is becoming to a wise man, how 
much more so to a fool ! 

To know when to be silent is the strongest 
quality in man. 

If a word spoken in its place is worth one 
piece of silver, silence in its place is 
worth two. 

Silence is the fence round wisdom. 

When two men quarrel, he who is first silent 
is the greater gentleman. 



SIN 



Habit strips sin of its enormity. 

A man commits a sin in secret ; God brings it 
to light. 

Sinful thoughts are even more dangerous than 
sin itself. 

Sin begets sin. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 6 1 

Curse the sin, not the sinner. 

"Satan" and "evil inclinations" are one and 
the same thing. 

The wiser the man the more careful should 
he be of his conduct. 

Ill weeds grow apace; neglect is their gar- 
dener. 



SLAVEHOLDING 



Saul obtained the kingdom because he con- 
sidered the honor of his slaves equal to 
his own. 

Slaves should never be addressed as such, for 
the name itself is contemptible. 

Tho' thy slave be a Canaanite, it is thy duty 
as an Israelite to treat him humanely, 
and not break his spirit with hard work. 

It is thy duty to support the slave who was 
crippled while in thine employ. 

When thy slave leaves thee, give him as much 
as thou art able. 



6 2 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

SPEECH — SLANDER 



A word is like milk, which being once drawn 
from its original source, can never be 
returned. 

Rather allow thyself to be reviled than to 
revile others. 

Open not thy mouth to speak evil. 

He who changes his word, saying one thing 
and doing another, is even as one who 
serveth idols. 

To slander is to commit murder. 



The scoffer, the liar, the hypocrite, and the 
slanderer can have no share in the future 
life. 



Say little and do much. 



If speech is worth one piece of silver, silence 
is worth two. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 63 

Teach thy tongue to say, "I do not know." 



Man should always make use of pure lan- 
guage. 

He who talks too much will talk sinfully. 



Be always sincere in your "Yea" and your 

"Nay." 



Speech is the messenger of the heart. 



Suffer not thine ear to hearken to vain dis- 
course. 

Better no ear at all than one that listeneth 
to evil. 

It is even worse to deceive in matters of 
speech than in money matters. 



64 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

TEMPTATION 



The study of the Holy Law is the only anti- 
dote against temptation. 



The hole in the wall invites the thief. 

Let no man wilfully expose himself to temp- 
tation. 

Happy is he who resists temptation. 



TESTIMONY 



He who can testify in favor of his neighbor 
and does not, is a transgressor. 



The witness should testify only to that which 
he has seen and heard himself. 



He who testifies falsely shall be disgraced. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 65 

TOLERANCE 



Support the aged without reference to re- 
ligion; respect the learned without refer- 
ence to age. 



The virtuous of all nations participate in 
eternal bliss. 



The Lord who proclaimed the Law of Sinai 
is the God of all nations. 



"Before me," said the Lord, "there is no dif- 
ference between Jew and Gentile ; he that 
accomplishes good will I reward accord- 
ingly." 

God scattered Israel in order that the Gentiles 
may know the purity of Jewish teachings. 



66 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

TRUTH 



Truth is the seal of God. 



Truth will stand, but falsehood must fall. 



Truth is its own witness. 



Truth tells its own tale. 



There is no occasion to light thy lamp at 
noontide. 



Truth is heavy, therefore few care to carry it. 
Always acknowledge the truth. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 67 

USEFULNESS 



In all God's creation, there is not a single 
object without a purpose. 



Use thy best vase to-day, for to-morrow it 
may, perchance, be broken. 



A vessel used for holy purposes should not be 
put to uses less sacred. 



USURY 



No Israelite is allowed to lend usuriously to a 
non-Israelite. 



The practice of usury is as wicked as the 
shedding of blood. 



The possessions of him who lends usuriously 
shall sooner or later decrease and vanish. 



68 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

The testimony of a usurer is not valid before 
the Court of Justice. 



The usurer will have no share in an everlasting 
life. 

The usurer will not prosper. 



WISDOM 



Wisdom increaseth with years ; and so, often, 
does folly. 

Without the fear of God there is no wisdom. 
Wisdom is a tree, and active virtue its fruit. 



Be not only wise in thy words, be wise in thy 
deeds. 

Who is a wise man ? He who learns from all 
men. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 69 

Let thy house be a place of meeting for the 
wise, and eagerly drink in their words. 



It is a good sign if one's body suffers in the 
attempt to gain wisdom. 



It is hard to find a man who loves his op- 
ponent; it is only the wise who loves his 

own kind. 

-♦- 

Whenever there are two learned men in one 
city, there should be peace between them. 



Those who are truly wise advance the peace 
of the world, for they banish hatred and 
jealousy from their hearts. 



Controversies carried on for the purpose of 
expounding the law are blessed of God. 



Emulation among learned men increases the 
stores of knowledge. 



70 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

WORK 



Rather flay a carcass in the street to earn an 
honest livelihood than say, "I am a re- 
spectable man, and such employment is 
beneath my dignity." 

The tradesman at his work is the equal of the 
most learned doctor. 

He who lives by the work of his hands enjoys 
life. 

The Eternal did not allow His glory to shine 
over the Israelites until they became pro- 
ductive workers. 

Work is more pleasant in the sight of the 
Lord than the merits of the Patriarchs. 

Great is the power of work, for it supports, 
as well as honors, him who practises it. 

The man who has a handicraft may be com- 
pared to a vineyard surrounded by a 
fence. 

The famine lasted seven years, but it passed 
by the door of the worker. 



TALMUDIC SAYINGS 7 I 

He who helps himself will be helped by God. 

Great is labor — it honors the laborer. 

He who does not teach his son a trade is as 
if he teaches him to thieve. 

He who attempts too much, does little. 

Say not, "I will do nothing/' because thou 
canst not do everything. 

The day is short, but the labor is great. 

Love thy work. 

Bad servants ask permission after the thing 

is done. 

-♦- 

Victuals prepared by many cooks will be 
neither cold nor hot. 

It is well to add a trade to thy studies if thou 
wouldst be free from sin. 

The sun will set without thy assistance. 

Every man has his opportunity. 



72 TALMUDIC SAYINGS 

WORKMAN 



If thou art a day laborer, fulfill thy duty faith- 
fully, and thereby please thine employer. 



Do not interrupt thy work in order to greet 
a passer-by. 

The laborer is allowed to shorten his prayers. 



Thou art forbidden to look longingly upon the 
grapes when thou art working at the 
dates. 



The laborer is forbidden to eat more of the 
fruit than is necessary to stay his hunger. 



Do not hold back the wages of the laborer 
after his work is done. 



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